A/HRC/17/2
mechanism provided for in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture since
2007, and as the children’s ombudsman since 2011.
648. With regard to the recommendation to develop policy instruments based on the
Yogyakarta Principles, Estonia would confirm its actions at a later date.
649. With regard to the recommendation to adopt a national plan of action and a specific
law to combat the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, the adoption of
a specific law was not strictly necessary, as the Penal Code of Estonia already included
relevant acts as punishable pursuant to criminal procedure, and Estonia already had national
instruments for dealing with crimes against children. In addition, in April 2010, Estonia had
approved the Development Plan for Reducing Violence for 2010–2014, which was aimed
at, inter alia, reducing and preventing violence and other crimes committed against
children.
650. The delegation reiterated Estonia’s commitment to ratify the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2011, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on
the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict in the near future.
651. The delegation listed a number of efforts made by Estonia to fight human
trafficking, including the continuous work of the national coordinator and national network
against human trafficking, Estonia’s participation in the various European initiatives in this
area, the development of a new form for data collection on trafficking victims and the
recent initiatives to amend the Penal Code to introduce a separate provision on human
trafficking.
652. In the Development Plan for Reducing Violence, Estonia had put emphasis on the
issue of Internet safety for children. Since the beginning of 2011, a web-based hotline was
available to report on illegal materials and inappropriate contents that were accessible to
children.
653. Estonia had held consultations on the possibility of seeking accreditation for its
national human rights institutions, as suggested in several recommendations.
654. Estonia expressed its commitment to raise the level of public awareness and the
protection of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and referred to the
cultural events held in Tallinn during the “Broadening one’s own world” festival.
655. With regard to the recommendation on ensuring the right to the conscientious
objection to military service, the right to object to military service on religious or moral
grounds was provided for in the Constitution and the Defence Forces Service Act.
656. With regard to equal access of men and women and all minorities to employment,
the delegation stated that equal access to all employment opportunities was guaranteed for
both men and women, and that the employment rate of women in the fourth quarter of 2010
was 61 per cent, the overall rate being 63.3 per cent.
657. With regard to the recommendation on discrimination in the labour market based on
ethnicity, the delegation assured the Council that restrictions on the labour market were not
determined by ethnicity but by qualifications, including language proficiency, when it was
required and in the public interest.
658. Estonia considered the integration of minorities an issue of national importance.
People with undetermined citizenship were eligible to apply for citizenship and were
granted the same basic rights as citizens of Estonia, including the right to vote in local
government elections. Estonia continued to take several measures to promote
naturalization, including counselling for parents with undetermined citizenship about the
possibility of applying for citizenship for their children. Estonia continued to subsidize
people applying for citizenship for their language training.
GE.12-13630
181
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